Cyber fraudsters target Telangana imams with fake Zakat offers
HYDERABAD: Cyber fraudsters posing as non-resident Indians (NRIs) allegedly targeted imams and khateebs of mosques and madrasas in Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana with fake Zakat donation offers, as reported by DC.
At least two imams in Hyderabad’s Old City allegedly lost money in the scams. An Imam-o-Khateeb in Jagtial also received a similar call over the past three days. Fraudsters reportedly targeted five more imams.
An imam from Edi Bazar in the Old City said he received a call around 10.40 am on August 11 from a man claiming to be an NRI from Canada.
The caller mentioned the name of one of the imam’s acquaintances. He offered to donate money for mosque construction and poor Muslim orphans as Zakat.
The imam told Deccan Chronicle that he trusted the caller and transferred ₹77,000 in three instalments. When the promised donation did not arrive, he contacted the national cybercrime helpline 1930 within an hour.
The imam said his bank account was later frozen. The fraudster then returned the ₹77,000 through another bank account. The imam informed the helpline that he had received the money back.
Another imam allegedly duped through fake transaction message
Another imam-khateeb from the Old City allegedly fell victim to a similar scam on August 10.
The fraudsters sent him a fake message claiming that ₹80,000 had been deposited into his account. They then asked him to return ₹50,000.
Trusting the message, the imam borrowed ₹50,000 from his brother and transferred the amount. He later checked his account and found that the ₹80,000 had never been credited.
Khizr Ahmed Yafi, a trustee of Zohra Mosque in Adilabad, said he also received a similar call. However, he became suspicious and refused to follow the caller’s instructions.
Maulana Majid Ali Nadvi, Imam-o-Khateeb of Masjid Zehra in Jagtial district, received a call on August 11 from a man who spoke fluent Urdu.
The caller offered to donate ₹1.50 lakh as Zakat. He asked the imam for his bank account details. He also cited international transaction rules and demanded money as tax.
Fraudsters allegedly use social media to build trust
A cybercrime officer said the fraudsters monitor their targets’ social media accounts. They collect the names of friends and acquaintances and use them to gain the victims’ trust.
The callers allegedly pose as NRIs from countries such as Canada and Australia. They offer large donations to mosques or Zakat for the needy.
The officer said the fraudsters then ask victims to send money on different pretexts linked to the proposed transaction.
